What should medical air receivers be provided with?

Medical air receivers should be provided with a three-valve bypass arrangement to ensure the proper functioning and safety of the medical gas delivery system. This configuration allows for maintenance and servicing of the receiver without interrupting the supply of medical air to the facility.

The three-valve bypass typically consists of two isolation valves and one bypass valve. When maintenance is required, the isolation valves can be closed to separate the receiver from the system, while the bypass valve remains open to continue supplying medical air. This setup is crucial for continuity of care in a healthcare environment, where interruption of medical gases could have serious implications for patient safety.

Having a single valve would not allow for maintenance without disrupting the system, and providing no additional valves would create vulnerabilities in case of a malfunction or the need for servicing. While a pressure monitoring system is essential for maintaining safe operating conditions, it does not fulfill the requirement for enabling maintenance without interruption, which is specifically what the three-valve bypass provides.